Shy bladder sufferers have condemned a DirecTV advert that uses a 'painfully awkward' Rob Lowe who cannot urinate in public restrooms to encourage viewers to switch from cable.

In the campaign, the 50-year-old actor plays two characters: a handsome Lowe in a slick suit who is a satellite customer and a goofy-looking Lowe who is a cable user.

In one scene, the latter character is filmed standing awkwardly at a urinal with two other men. Unlike his doppelganger's formal attire, he is donning a fanny pack with his hair parted in the middle.

In response to the other Lowe's remark that cable TV makes subscribers wait, he states: 'Fact. I can't go with other people in the room', before unsuccessfully trying to urinate.

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Controversial: In this DirecTV campaign, actor Rob Lowe plays two characters: a handsome Lowe in a slick suit who is a satellite customer and a goofy-looking Lowe (pictured in a public restroom), who is a cable user

A sensitive topic: In one scene, the latter character is filmed standing awkwardly at a urinal with two other men (pictured). Unlike his double's formal attire, he is donning a fanny pack with his hair parted in the middle

Doppelganger: In response to the other Lowe's remark that cable TV makes subscribers wait, he states: 'Fact. I can't go with other people in the room'. Above, handsome Lowe (right) enters the public restroom

DirecTV, a satellite service provider based in El Segundo, California, claims viewers should be able to take the advert in the humorous way in which it was intended.

But a shy bladder group has lambasted the company, saying the advert ridicules a serious issue in America, where around seven per cent of people have some form of 'shy bladder syndrome'.

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Steve Soifer, CEO of the International Paruresis Association and a social work professor at the University of Memphis, said he didn't mind if 'people have a little fun' with the condition.

But he added: 'It's a situation that a lot of people don't understand. In this particular case, the portrayal is making it look ridiculous, that this guy is a loser for having a problem.

Criticism: Steve Soifer, (right), CEO of the International Paruresis Association, says the Rob Lowe (left) advert ridicules a serious issue in America, where 7 per cent of people have some form of 'shy bladder syndrome'

Cable customer: Mr Sofier said: 'In this particular case, the portrayal is making it look ridiculous, that this guy is a loser for having a problem.' Above, awkward Lowe is pictured in another scene of the advert

A popular man: Other clips in the advert see handsome Lowe (pictured) claim that DirecTv is number one in terms of customer satisfaction and that satellite has been ranked higher than cable 'for over 10 years'

'What if he didn't have a leg or an arm? Are you going to make fun of them?'

Since the campaign's launch in late October, members of the Association have written to DirecTV asking for the advert to be removed.

But Darris Gringeri, spokesman for DirecTV, said the service will not be fulfilling their request.

'The ads will continue to run for the vast majority of viewers who have told us they enjoy the spots and understand that, like all of our commercials, they take place in a fantasy world and are not based in reality,' he said.

Waiting: Meanwhile, 'painfully awkward' Lowe says cable workers take 'forever' to show up at your house

Satellite TV: DirecTV is a satellite TV service provider which is based in El Segundo, California (file picture)

Other scenes in the advert see handsome Lowe claim that DirecTv is number one in terms of customer satisfaction and that satellite has been ranked higher than cable 'for over 10 years'.

Meanwhile, 'painfully awkward' Lowe says cable workers take 'forever' to show up at your house.